Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. (MSG) recently faced multiple class-action lawsuits following a reported data breach that exposed sensitive information of up to 26 million visitors at the Knicks’ home arena. These suits claimed MSG failed to adequately respond to the breach and criticized its extensive personal data collection practices, especially regarding controversial surveillance and facial-recognition technologies. Despite this, four of the five lawsuits were voluntarily dropped without prejudice, allowing for the possibility of re-filing, while one suit remains active with a pretrial conference set for October 22.

The attorney who filed the initial suit, Blake Hunter Yagman of Yagman PLLC, indicates the current legal actions are just the beginning of a broader privacy battle involving MSG. He highlights ongoing systemic privacy violations by MSG, including the categorization of attendees and potential civil rights concerns. MSG’s use of facial recognition technology dates back to 2018, a practice that has continually attracted scrutiny, notably in 2023 when the New York attorney general criticized the company for banning opposing counsel from games based on their firm affiliations in active litigation.

Compounding these privacy worries, reports have surfaced outlining MSG’s detailed tracking of celebrities attending events, labeling individuals with risk levels and even categorizing some with tags such as “LGBTQIA.” MSG has denied allegations presented by media outlets like Wired and is pursuing legal action against inaccurate reports. However, Yagman warns that MSG has never publicly denied the use of facial recognition or the creation of detailed attendee profiles, raising concerns about the extent of data collection on fans, employees, and critics alike at MSG venues.

Looking ahead, legal prospects may shift depending on New York City’s proposed legislation that would prohibit the use of biometric recognition technology by public accommodation providers like MSG unless informed consent is given. The law, introduced in January and requiring multiple legislative steps before enactment, aims to regulate data collection practices in public venues. Yagman states he is prepared to initiate further lawsuits should MSG be found in violation of this impending regulation, signaling a continuing and evolving fight over privacy and surveillance in the sports and entertainment industries.